Apparatus for forming rollers for producing a repetition of designs

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for repetitively deforming the surface of rollers so that they can repetitiously reproduce predetermined outlines.

United States Patent Kappelman et al.

[ 5] Mar. 7, 1972 APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROLLERS FOR PRODUCING AREPETITION OF DESIGNS Inventors: Benjamin 0. Kappelman, 1042 E. Campus,Tempe, Ariz. 85281; Charles T. Myers, 174 Wv Elm, Phoenix, Ariz. 85013Filed: June 24, 1970 Appl. No.2 49,402

Field of Search ..29/76, 78

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,016 2/1932 D'Atri..29/76 247,368 9/ 1 881 Lang ..29/76 848,3 86 3/1907 McGahn ..29/ 761,431,917 10/1922 Antaramian 2,388,880 11/1945 2,951,305 9/1960 PrimaryExaminer-Harrison L. Hinson Anomey-Warren F. B. Lindsley [57] ABSTRACTAn apparatus for repetitively deforming the surface of rollers so thatthey can repetitiously reproduce predetemiined outlines.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures "Hill'llllllll.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING ROLLERS FOR PRODUCING A REPETITION OF DESIGNSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the manufacture ofrollers having specific surface designs, and more particular to rollersused in treating surfaces with liquid like material wherein thematerials are to be repetitively applied in given design configurations.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to new and usefulimprovements in decorating devices and more particularly to themanufacture of such devices used for the marking of surfaces withliquids such as oil and water colors in connection with painting,varnishing or other manner of decorative surfacing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART At the present time rubber rollers withporous and liquid retaining surfaces have been used for applying liquidsto various objects. Some of these rollers have been manufactured byincorporating within the rubber compound of which the roll surface isformed different additional materials. These materials are preferably ofan expanded or hollow nature since such particles have been found to benot only frangible when the roll surface is ground, but the brokenparticles readily evacuate the surface leaving it rough and pitted.Other frangible particles such as sand, glass beads, crushed rock andthe like, also may be used but will require more severe grinding of theroll surface to insure fairly complete removal from the surface.

Rollers used to modify painted surfaces while they are wet to formthereon a design have been found essentially of soft rubber preferablysponge covered by soft easily compressible material such as felt,flannel, wool and the like previously perforated to form a given design.

If more than one roller capable of providing the same design is neededcare must be exercised in cutting up the fabric to insure regularityeither in the size, position or configuration of the cutout portions.

Rollers also have been provided with separate resilient pads arranged inany given design along the circumference of the roller spottedlyapplying liquid to a surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention claimed a newand improved apparatus and method of manufacturing rollers is providedwhich makes it possible to repetitively reproduce a plurality of likerollers having predetermined surface configurations.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a new anduseful apparatus for manufacturing rollers for decorative purposeshaving substantially the same surface configuration.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved methodof cutting the surfaces of rollers used in decorating devices.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedapparatus for deforming the surfaces of soft porous rollers into givensurface configurations repetitively and to be able by simple adjustmentsto change the surface designs of later handled rollers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new andimproved apparatus for the forming of the surfaces of porous decoratingor marking devices through the medium of which the decoration or markingofa surface by liquid may be effected with ease and expedience.

A still further object of this invention is the production ofadecorating or marking device which is simple in construction,inexpensive in manufacture, and durable and efficient in use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterizes this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention may be morereadily described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a side view partially broken away of an apparatus for formingthe surface of a prefabricated roller with' a predetermined design andembodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. I taken along the line 22;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 taken along the line 4-4; and

FIG. 5 isa modification of FIGS. 1-4 wherein a burning iron has beenadded to a template.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference,FIG. I discloses a frame 10 having mounted on it a horizontal lowershelve 11 for supporting an electric motor 12 and a pair of horizontalcrossarms I3 and 14 mounted above said shelf for supporting a rotatablymounted wire brush 15. Bush 15 is rotatably mounted in bushings l6 and17 which are mounted on and clamped to crossarms 13 and 14. Brush 15 isrotated by motor 12 through a drive belt 18 interconnecting the axis 19of motor 12 with the axis 20 of brush 15 through belt driven pulleys 21and 22, respectively.

Brush 15 is so mounted that its outer periphery extends through anopening 24 in a top platform 25 mounted on the top ends of verticalupright members 26 forming a part of frame 10.

The opening 24 is covered by an varcuate shaped template 27 curved tofit the outer circumference of the brush and provided with a pluralityof apertures 28 which are arranged in a predetermined design. As thewire brush is rotated the ends of the wires protrude into the aperturesof the template and move across the outline of the apertures in thedirection of rotation of the brush.

The template is fastened in place on the top 25 of the frame by clampplates 29 and 30 one mounted on each side of opening 24. The template isprovided with horizontally extending edges which are arranged to slidein slots 31 formed between clamp plates 29 and 30 and the top 25 offrame 10.

As noted, templates having different apertured designs may be readilysubstituted one for the other so as to produce rollers having differentsurface designs.

In order to move a plurality of rollers 32 one at a time over thetemplate 27 in a uniform manner a feed conveyor 33 is attached toframe'l0. The conveyor, a chain link drive comprising crossmembers 34attached to the chain across a drive shaft 35 and a driven shaft 36.Shafts 35 and 36 are interconnected by the chain link drive passing oversprockets 37 and 38, respectively.

The drive shaft 35 is rotated by an electric motor 40, mounted on oneside of frame 10,through a chain drive 41 driving a shaft 42 throughsprocket 43. A chain drive 44 connected to a'sprocket 45 on shaft 42 isconnected to drive shaft 35 through a sprocket 46 (FIG. 2).

Shaft 42 has mounted thereon a belt drive 50 which is driven by shaft 42and drives an endless belt 51 which passes over and around a driven beltdrive 52.

The belt drive 52 comprising belt 51 is arranged to receive rollers 32when they are moved to the end of the feed conveyor 33. The moving belt51 grabs the rollers and rotates them as they are actuated along a pathover the template 27.

As noted from FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawing, the endless belt 51 squeezesthe rollers, thereby reducing their diameters and causing the outerperiphery of the roller to extend into apertures 28 in template 27. Theendsof the wires ofthe wire brush l5 protruding through the apertures ofthe template cuts and removes from the roller the material extendinginto the apertures of the template. Thus, as the roller is caused torotate across the template and particularly the apertures in thetemplate the ends of the wire brush cut out given portion of the rollerssurface. Since the distance across the template in the direction ofrotation of the rollers is substantially equal to the circumference ofthe squeezed roller under the moving influence of belt 51 one rotationof the roller will occur while passing over the template. One rotationof the roller will cause the roller to be deformed along its totalcircumference according to the design configuration of the template.

The tension of the belt 51 controls the depth of the material removedfrom the roller. By decreasing the belt tension the rollers will besqueezed less and the depth of the cut of the material by the ends ofthe wires of brush 15 will be reduced.

To change the design configuration of the treated roller, the operatorof the apparatus merely removes the template and replaces it withanother of a different predetermined design configuration.

Although a wire brush has been shown to remove predetermined portions ofthe surface of a soft pliable roller it should be understood that othersuitable means also may be used (FIG. 5) such as a burning iron. Aburning iron 60 formed ofa suitable resistance connected across a sourceof electric power could be used individually or in combination with thetemplates as the need requires.

The roller 32 has been defined as being of a porous material which couldbe natural and synthetic rubber or any other suitable material thatpaint rollers and the like are now made out of. The roller surfaceshould have a porous and roughened surface for use in the application ofliquids to a plane surface.

Although but two embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. An apparatus for deforming the surface of a roller of soft porousmaterial, the combination comprising:

a frame.

an apertured template detachably mounted on said frame,

a wire brush rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent one side of saidtemplate, said brush upon rotation causing the ends of the wires on thebrush to move in a given direction across the apertures in saidtemplate, the ends of the wires of said brush protruding into theapertures of said template upon rotation of said brush, and

conveyor means mounted adjacent the other side of said template forsequentially moving rollers across the surface of said template, saidconveyor means rotating said rollers as they move over said template andcompressing said rollers sufficiently to cause the circumference of saidrollers to expand into the apertures of said template as they rollacross the surface of said template,

the ends of the wires of said brush upon rotation cutting off thematerial of the rollers extending into the apertures of said template.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the apertured portion ofsaid template in the direction of rotation of the rollers issubstantially the same length as the circumference of the compressedrollers.

3. The combination set forth in claim I wherein said conveyor meanscomprises an endless belt drive.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein the roller is rolledaround its longitudinal axis as it moves across said template betweenthe endless belt drive on one side and said template on the other side.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in further combination with asecond conveyor means for moving the rollers sequentially to said firstconveyor means.

6. A method of deforming the surface of liquid absorbing rollerscomprising the steps of rolling said rollers sequentially across onesurface of an apertured template, compressing said rollers as they moveacross said template so that the outer periphery of said rollersprotrude into the apertures of said template, and cutting away thesurface of the outer periphery of the rollers protruding into theapertures of the template.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 in further combination with the stepof rotating the roller one revolution during the time it is movingacross the apertured face of the template.

8. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein the rollers are rolled acrossone surface of the template while the surface of the outer periphery ofthe roller is cut away from the other side of the template.

9. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of cutting away thesurface of the roller protruding through the apertures in the templateis accomplished by rotating a cutting means across the other face of thetemplate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of theroller.

1. An apparatus for deforming the surface of a roller of soft porousmaterial, the combination comprising: a frame, an apertured templatedetachably mounted on said frame, a wire brush rotatably mounted on saidframe adjacent one side of said template, said brush upon rotationcausing the ends of the wires on the brush to move in a given directionacross the apertures in said template, the ends of the wires of saidbrush protruding into the apertures of said template upon rotation ofsaid brush, and conveyor means mounted adjacent the other side of saidtemplate for sequentially moving rollers across the surface of saidtemplate, said conveyor means rotating said rollers as they move oversaid template and compressing said rollers sufficiently to cause thecircumference of said rollers to expand into the apertures of saidtemplate as they roll across the surface of said template, the ends ofthe wires of said brush upon rotation cutting off the material of therollers extending into the apertures of said template.
 2. Thecombination set forth in claim 1 wherein the apertured portion of saidtemplate in the direction of rotation of the rollers is substantiallythe same length as the circumference of the compressed rollers.
 3. Thecombination set forth in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprisesan endless belt drive.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 whereinthe roller is rolled around its longitudinal axis as it moves acrosssaid template between the endless belt drive on one side and saidtemplate on the other side.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 1 infurther combination with a second conveyor means for moving the rollerssequentially to said first conveyor means.
 6. A method of deforming thEsurface of liquid absorbing rollers comprising the steps of rolling saidrollers sequentially across one surface of an apertured template,compressing said rollers as they move across said template so that theouter periphery of said rollers protrude into the apertures of saidtemplate, and cutting away the surface of the outer periphery of therollers protruding into the apertures of the template.
 7. The method setforth in claim 6 in further combination with the step of rotating theroller one revolution during the time it is moving across the aperturedface of the template.
 8. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein therollers are rolled across one surface of the template while the surfaceof the outer periphery of the roller is cut away from the other side ofthe template.
 9. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein the step ofcutting away the surface of the roller protruding through the aperturesin the template is accomplished by rotating a cutting means across theother face of the template in a direction opposite to the direction ofrotation of the roller.